Do you have an idea that you think would benefit your community, or a service that would assist a particular segment of the population? Then maybe you should look into writing a grant to fund your idea!
Grant writing is a challenge to be sure, but the rewards are well worth it. Imagine how you will feel when you see your project reach fruition, and people actually benefit from your idea. If you are new to writing grants, a really good first step to get you started is a wonderful book called Winning Grants by Mim Carlson. Carlson breaks the process down to 12 steps from developing your proposal idea all the way to putting the full package together. Writing grants is a very detailed process. You will need to figure out what you want, how you want to execute it, what results you want to see and when; and what you want to accomplish when your project is finished. What does a successful grant look like to you? What will you have accomplished?
She provides samples and helpful hints in each chapter. The book is designed for people with limited (or no) experience putting a grant package together. What I found most helpful is the printable worksheet that you can print off and work on at your leisure. This process will help you gather your thoughts and really think through what you want to do. She has about 25 years of experience and has written grants as well as reviewed hundreds of proposals.
You can learn more about grant opportunities at the Jeffery Manor Branch on Mondays throughout April and May during our Congress in Your Community program. You can meet with a representative from Congressman Robin Kelly's office and learn what opportunities are available. For more information on writing grants, try these titles or see all of our books on grant writing.
Perfect Phrases for Writing Grant Proposals
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